Sri Lanka’s aspirations to clinch their first One Day International (ODI) series against India in nearly three decades received a solid boost on a dry surface at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. With Avishka Fernando spearheading the charge with a remarkable 96, Sri Lanka set a formidable target of 249 for India. This challenge is magnified by the fact that India had previously faltered in chasing down modest targets of 231 and 241 in the first two ODIs, respectively.
For the third consecutive match, Sri Lanka elected to bat first. The decision seemed to pay off early as openers Pathum Nissanka and Avishka Fernando built a sturdy foundation with an 89-run partnership. Nissanka, known for his aggressive starts, took the initiative by striking four boundaries in the initial overs bowled by Mohammed Siraj. Notably, Siraj was the solitary pacer for India in this game, given that the visitors replaced Arshdeep Singh with Riyan Parag, who was making his ODI debut. This adjustment aimed to bolster India’s middle-order batting, which had experienced collapses in the previous games. Another significant change for India was the inclusion of Rishabh Pant in place of KL Rahul.
The opening partnership was eventually broken by Axar Patel in the 20th over, with Nissanka top-edging a slog-sweep. However, this dismissal did not slow down the hosts, as Fernando looked comfortable and determined, crafting an attractive half-century off 65 balls. His proficiency against spin was evident in his composed play, even after a somewhat cautious beginning against the pace attack. When confronted with Siraj’s second spell, Fernando embraced the challenge, scoring a boundary and a couple of sixes within the span of five deliveries. It seemed he was on course for a well-deserved century until he was dismissed by Riyan Parag, who bagged his first ODI wicket through a full legbreak that Fernando played back to.
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Parag’s contribution did not end there. He soon claimed the wicket of Charith Asalanka, adjudged LBW, instigating a collapse that saw Sri Lanka plummet from a promising 171/1 to a precarious 199/6. The wickets kept falling as Washington Sundar and Siraj joined in to claim crucial scalps, further strengthening India’s position. Parag’s figures of 3-54 represented an impressive debut performance, with his third wicket being Dunith Wellalage, bowled out cleanly.
Amidst the middle-order collapse, Sri Lanka needed a savior in the final overs. Kusal Mendis stepped up to the occasion, anchoring the latter part of the innings. Mendis reached his half-century off 77 balls and effectively guided Sri Lanka to add 31 runs in the last three overs, ensuring that the team set a competitive total. His innings were instrumental on a challenging pitch that had proved difficult for batsmen throughout the series.
The final tally for Sri Lanka stood at 248/7, thanks to crucial hands from Fernando, Mendis, and initially, Nissanka. The heroic late-over contributions mirrored the pattern from the first two ODIs, where Sri Lanka consistently found a key performer to elevate the team to a defensible score.
Brief Scores: Sri Lanka 248/7 in 50 overs (Fernando 96, Mendis 59, Nissanka 45; Parag 3-54) against India.
With a target set at 249, India faces yet another challenging task on a dry pitch notoriously difficult for batting. Sri Lanka’s bowlers will be eager to capitalize on the precarious conditions and their momentum to secure a historic series victory. The ball is now in India’s court to rise to the challenge and prove their mettle in what promises to be an exciting conclusion to the series.